I swallowed hard, my voice caught in my throat.
I could feel the amused stares from everyone in the room, each one like a needle pricking my skin.
I hunched my shoulders, trying to make myself smaller inside the suffocating burlap sack.
This is it. The moment of truth. They all think I'm just a joke, some low-level character with no gear. I have to prove them wrong. I have to.
The man at the reception desk, Balin, a mountain of a man with a fierce dragon tattoo, waited with a wry smile. I knew I had to say something, anything, before they all started laughing at me again.
"I... I want to register as an adventurer," I stammered, my voice trembling slightly.
Balin nodded. "Of course, but the Guild has rules. The registration fee is 10 Copper Coins. Do you have them?"
I fell silent, bewildered. I had nothing but a wooden sword and a filthy sack. Money? Are you kidding me? I don't have any money. In games, the system just gives you a few starting coins. This isn't a game. It's so much worse.
"I... I don't have any money," I replied softly.
Balin's face shifted from surprise back to amusement.
"Then come back later, kid," Balin said, gesturing toward the exit. "We don't accept..."
"Wait!" I interrupted, holding up my World Destroyer Wooden Sword. "I have a sword! It's... a magic sword!"
Balin's eyes fell on the sword, and a hoarse laugh burst from his throat. The entire Guild joined in, a chorus of mockery. The axe-wielding man who had greeted me earlier now roared with laughter, his voice like thunder. "A magic sword... made of wood!"
An overwhelming wave of shame washed over me. But as I saw the hopeless and disgusted looks from the crowd, a chilling realization hit me: This isn't like a game. There's no system that'll just automatically give me money. This is a real, crazy, and unforgiving world. Is this what 'hard mode' truly feels like?
...
Suddenly, an old woman in a deep blue robe, who had been sitting quietly in a corner, rose to her feet. Her hair was gray, and her staff was made of gnarled wood.
"Balin, give him a provisional registration," her voice was soft but firm, instantly silencing the laughter. "We have a program for the penniless. They can pay the registration fee after completing their first quest."
Balin sighed. "Alright, Lady Elara," he replied, his tone displeased. "But this is a one-time thing. Name?"
"Shinji," I replied, a sense of profound relief washing over me.
"Identity?" Balin asked.
"I... don't have one. I'm not from here," I said honestly.
Balin frowned. "In that case, we'll give you a temporary one."
Balin took out a small silver badge and a tiny wooden plank. "This is your adventurer's badge, Rank F. And this, your temporary identity. Your name is now Shinji of Ardania. Guard it well; you'll need it."
I held the cold silver badge and the small wooden plank, surprised my old name could still be used. "Thank you!"
"Don't thank me yet," Balin retorted. "Your first quest is a beginner's mission. Choose one." Balin pointed to a bulletin board covered in papers.
My eyes lit up. "Gather 10 Wolf Horns... Find 5 Dragon Berries... Exterminate the rats in the warehouse..." This is it! This is exactly like an RPG! A beginner's quest! My time has come.
A comforting familiarity settled in. "I'll take the rat extermination one!" I declared, feeling a surge of confidence.
Balin jotted it down, then handed me a rolled-up piece of paper. "Go to the warehouse in the East District. It's an easy quest, but the rats are unusually large and aggressive. Be careful."
I nodded, my confidence returning. Large and aggressive? Ha! Sounds like a tutorial boss. This is nothing. Just you wait, I'll clear it in no time. "It's nothing! It's just a beginner's quest!"
...
I walked to the East District, the itchy burlap sack still wrapped around my body. The air there smelled stale, a mixture of sweat, garbage, and a foul, putrid odor.
The warehouse I was looking for was old and dilapidated. Its wooden door groaned as I pushed it open, the sound deafening in the silence.
Inside, darkness and dampness greeted me. The sharp, putrid smell stung my nostrils, and the faint scuttling of rats echoed from every corner. I drew my wooden sword.
I could see large shadows moving in the gloom. These rats were nothing like I knew; they were the size of small dogs, with sharp teeth and glowing red eyes.
Alright, just like in the games. Stay calm, analyze the enemies, find their weakness. "Just rats... just rats..." I mumbled, trying to calm myself.
I ducked, jumped, and swung my wooden sword with practiced dexterity, just as I had done in countless games. My body moved without hesitation, my reflexes honed from hundreds of hours of playtime.
However, with every swing of my sword, my lungs burned, and sweat beaded on my forehead, a stark reminder that this wasn't a game. This was a struggle, a fight for my life. The hissing and squealing of the rats weren't just sounds they were real, palpable threats.
I fought with a fury, venting all the frustration from my public humiliation in the park and at the Guild.
After some time, silence returned to the warehouse. All that remained was my heavy breathing and the coppery smell of blood.
I stood still, a mix of pride and revulsion churning in my stomach. I actually did it. I killed them. This is real. I finally understood the gravity of my new reality.
...
I returned to the Guild. Balin looked at my dirty appearance with a disgusted frown. "You succeeded?" he asked, his voice laced with doubt.
I nodded. "The rats are gone."
Balin went to check the warehouse and returned with a hint of genuine awe on his face.
"Incredible. You finished that quest alone? You've earned this." Balin handed me a small pouch that jingled with coins. I opened it, my eyes widening at the 15 Copper Coins inside.
"This is your quest payment. The remaining 5 coins are for the Guild registration fee. You are now officially a Rank F adventurer," Balin said, a small, genuine smile on his face.
With the money in hand, I immediately went to a clothing store. I bought a simple tunic and trousers made of coarse cloth, which felt infinitely better than the burlap sack. Dressed properly, I finally felt like myself again, walking with a newfound sense of self-respect. This is it. I'm a real adventurer now. This is my start.
I returned to the Guild. "I want to rank up!" I declared with newfound confidence.
Balin chuckled. "Hold your horses, kid. To rank up, you have to go through an evaluation with the Rank Orb."
Balin placed a large crystal sphere on the table. The orb was a mesmerizing purplish-blue, radiating a soft, hypnotic light. "Place your hand on it. This orb will measure your stats and potential."
I hesitated, then slowly placed my palm on the orb's surface. The orb felt cold, then suddenly became warm. Its light pulsed, and Balin nodded in satisfaction. "Let's see... Hmm?"
Balin began to read the stats aloud, his voice steady and professional. "Strength: F, Agility: F, Stamina: F, Magic: F..."
Suddenly, the orb shone with an intensely bright golden light, flooding the entire Guild. Everyone, including Balin, shielded their eyes. A deep, echoing voice emanated from the orb, filling the silent room.
"Name: Shinji of Ardania... Potential: Immeasurable..."
Balin, squinting, read the results displayed on the orb's surface. He rubbed his eyes, a look of utter disbelief on his face. "Wait, what is this stat?"
On the orb's display, a final, flashing stat appeared, impossibly large and vibrant: [LUCK: 999]
I was still processing everything. I just smiled. "What? Does that mean I can rank up?" I asked innocently.
Balin stared at me with an expression that was impossible to decipher. A 'hero' with F-rank stats... and Luck at 999? What kind of monster have we just let into this city? "It seems... you have no idea what that number means, kid."
Balin leaned in, his voice low and conspiratorial. "This rank orb has never shown a number that high. Since it was created, the maximum ever recorded was only 100. The system... it must be broken."
I frowned. Broken? The system is broken? My mind immediately jumped to the blue screens and crashes I'd experienced on my PC. "So, it's... a bug?" I asked, my voice now filled with a strange, geeky excitement.
Balin nodded stiffly, still not understanding. "Yes, perhaps. But that's not the only strange thing." Balin glanced around, then back at me with a look full of questions. "For some reason, I feel... when you're here, this world gets very chaotic."
I just grinned. I was a gamer who had conquered countless bugs and glitches. To me, this wasn't a problem. This was a new challenge.
"Welcome to the real hell," Balin whispered, his face pale.
I chuckled. Hell? More like a game with a unique bug. My smile widened. I was completely misunderstanding, and it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I was ready to conquer this crazy world, one bug at a time.